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Edward Scissorhands Film Techniques - Characterisation
Tim burton cinematic technique essay
Analysis of cinematic techniques in tim burtons films
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Tim Burton used three different types of camera angles in Edward Scissorhands. The three different camera angles involved are eye level, high angle, and low angle. The first eye level shot was when the little girl was laying in bed. Most eye level shots were shot when people are talking so it can focus on them, their face, or facial expressions. One high angle was when Avon was going up the stairs arriving at the castle. It was shot from a high angle just off the top of her head showing her fully. One shot that was shot in a low angle was when the teenager was out playing in the snow. It was shot as if the camera was on the floor looking up grabbing and recording. Some camera angles didn’t feel right or fit in with some scenes making it boring,
In the movie Edward Scissorhands, a lot of different cinematic techniques are used. This movie mostly focuses on lighting, usually using darker low-key lighting throughout most of the film to create a darker, creepy tone. Low-key lighting is used mostly in scenes with Edward scissorhands in them, not as much with the girl. A good example of these low-key lighting scenes are the beginning ones, when the girl first enters Edward’s castle. The atmosphere inside is dark and creepy, adding to the already mysterious and dark tone of the movie. Another example of a scene with low-key lighting is the very beginning of the credits screen. The words are displayed in white with the rest of the background as a dark and evil setting. This already gives
In the years between 1933 and 1945, Germany was engulfed by the rise of a powerful new regime and the eventual spoils of war. During this period, Hitler's quest for racial purification turned Germany not only at odds with itself, but with the rest of the world. Photography as an art and as a business became a regulated and potent force in the fight for Aryan domination, Nazi influence, and anti-Semitism. Whether such images were used to promote Nazi ideology, document the Holocaust, or scare Germany's citizens into accepting their own changing country, the effect of this photography provides enormous insight into the true stories and lives of the people most affected by Hitler's racism. In fact, this photography has become so widespread in our understanding and teaching of the Holocaust that often other factors involved in the Nazi's racial policy have been undervalued in our history textbooks-especially the attempt by Nazi Germany to establish the Nordic Aryans as a master race through the Lebensborn experiment, a breeding and adoption program designed to eliminate racial imperfections.
Tim Burton also uses great Lighting to make Edward look like shouldn't be there, for example, it shows Edward cramped into a small car and with bright colors in the background. In the scene where they enter Edwards garden it seem so beautiful up close, but like hell far away because its very dark over there, then when it enters back into the house it seems like it would be from a horror movie. And the make up on his face makes it more fit with the lighting because of the scars with his pale white face and his crazy black hair.
In Edward Scissorhands, a close-up is used on both Edward and Kim’s faces after Edward mistakenly drops a steak in Kim’s lap. This close-up allows for facial expressions to be seen clearly, in turn adding to the emotion of the scene. (In this case Edward’s apologetic embarrassment, and Kim’s annoyance.) As the characters display an obvious emotion, the mood syncs up with the emotions they feel. Similarly, in The Corpse Bride the camera tilts, sways, and bounces as Victor runs from Emily in the world of the dead. This creates a chaotic feel to the scene as tilted shots put the audience in Victor’s shoes as he panics. Finally, in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a view is used to show Wonka and his tour group, as well as dancing Oompa Loompas while Augustus is stuck in the chocolate tube. Being able to see several different events taking place from above creates a chaotic atmosphere. Juxtaposed, however, by the “unprepared” order of the dance routine taking place below. These aspects work together to help create a suspicious, and chaotic mood to the
The results help to shape the meaning of this film. Multiple eye-level shots between characters’ conversations, signifies equality between both individuals. The scene when the Richmond High principal and Coach Carter are arguing is a classic example of this. High angle camera shots are also used throughout the film to show characters in a state of vulnerability. When Damien is speaking to Coach Carter about playing for Richmond and not St Francis, a high camera angle portrays Damien in a position of authority, looking down upon vulnerable Coach Carter.
Indisputably, Tim Burton has one of the world’s most distinct styles when regarding film directing. His tone, mood, diction, imagery, organization, syntax, and point of view within his films sets him apart from other renowned directors. Burton’s style can be easily depicted in two of his most highly esteemed and critically acclaimed films, Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Burton ingeniously incorporates effective cinematic techniques to convey a poignant underlying message to the audience. Such cinematic techniques are in the lighting and editing technique categories. High key and low key relationships plus editing variations evinces the director’s elaborate style. He utilizes these cinematic techniques to establish tone mood, and imagery in the films.
Cinematography of Hitchcocks Psycho Alfred Hitchcock is renown as a master cinematographer (and editor), notwithstanding his overall brilliance in the craft of film. His choice of black and white film for 1960 was regarded within the film industry as unconventional since color was perhaps at least five years the new standard. But this worked tremendously well. After all, despite the typical filmgoer’s dislike for black and white film, Psycho is popularly heralded among film buffs as his finest cinematic achievement; so much so, that the man, a big
Situated in the rising action of the film, Rear Window (Hitchcock, 1954), this scene depicts Jeff sending a note to his neighbor, Mr. Thornwald, with the help of Lisa and Stella letting him know that they know about his crime. Hitchcock's use of mise-en-scene elements such as, lighting, setting, props, spacing and expressions between characters all allow Hitchcock to prove Jeff’s’ inability in the situation and develop important themes such as opposite perspectives and peoples’ engrossment with lives other than their own.
The use of camera angles was a clear way of defining a characters personality. The warden, Norton, is often seen from a low angles which highlights his high status in the prison and his authority.”Your arse belongs to me”. This effective way of showing Norton's position of power allows the audience to understand the significance of him. The prisoners, however are frequently shown from a high angle which emphasizes their lack of power and authority. The ...
One popular camera technique used in films is panning. Camera panning can emphasize emotion in films. According to a writer on camera techniques, "Following the subject's gaze down to the floor may symbolize rejection or desperation and loss. The moves work because they are related to your story" (Stevenson). In the movie Requiemfor a Dream, panning came into play in a particularly important scene. Marion, a main character, was walking down a hallway. She just had sex with someone she didn't like to get some money for drugs. The camera was right in front of her face, and portrayed the emptiness in her eyes. She was glancing towards the floor and looked like she was going to throw up. The camera also followed her face so closely, that you could tell how fast she was walking. The panning portrayed her feelings and actions so well, that it made the scene more interesting. It was a lot better than just seeing a view of someone head-on.
Almost every single scene in the film was perfectly aligned and symmetrical. The camera for the most part was mounted at eye-level, and whenever something tall or short needed to be shown on screen the camera would simply pan into the direction desired. This gives the viewer the opportunity to see things from a natural point-of-view. A POV shot that struck out to me in particular was when Sam first met Suzy Bishop. This was during the preparation for the Noah play at the church, we first see the handheld camera follow Sam down the hall at eye-level. Once Sam discovers the dressing room, that camera switches into a POV shot. The clothing opens and reveals the girls getting ready for their roles in the dressing room. What follows is a series of very personal shot reverse-shot takes. The actors are very nearly looking at the camera, perhaps 5 degrees shy from it. This creates a very personal connection between the viewers and the characters in the story. Not only that, but it continues on with Anderson’s symmetrical shots, and centered characters. A over-the-shoulder shot of the conversation would appear very peculiar in the world that Wes Anderson has created for
Their uses of eye line match, 180 degree line rule, and ellipsis help tell a grand and comedic adventure. One central form of editing is the rift between live action and animation. This movie seamlessly puts two different movies together and tells a tale of what life would look like if our beloved “toons” were brought to life. This movie used a variety of techniques to provide the audience information about the characters and setting. Eye line match was used constantly throughout the film. One of the first examples of this editing technique was evident within just two minutes of playtime. A baby escaped his crib to reach a stockpile of cookies that are placed upon the fridge. Our first view is looking from the top of the fridge down to the baby, then the camera shifts to what the baby’s perspective is of the cookies. This perspective allows the audience to become a part of the movie and join in on the comedic action taking place within the household. In order to fit into our horror genre, we could make the fridge appear to be hundreds of stories tall and have lightning, ominous clouds, and a foreboding environment of where the cookies are stored. Our second example of eye line match takes place at the thirty-one minute mark when Eddie is bending down to pick up a gag gift dropped by the deceased Marvin Acme. We see him picking up the buzzer then our view traces his view as he
Burton uses close-up camera angles to show significant items in his film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Tim Burton uses a close-up camera angle when Charlie finds the golden ticket to show how it is significant to the story. The golden ticket is significant because it is like his ticket to a new and better life. In Edward Scissorhands there is a close-up of the hands his inventor was going to give him which is very significant to the story because if his inventor finished him and
The camera is always at the level of the actors, as if someone is holding it. The camera is always at the level of the characters, even when it is moving. It never appears to come from different angles, a stable of Italian Neorealist films. There also appears to be very little staged lighting in the various shots.(That is, lighting that is purposely placed.) Instead, the lighting appears to be natural from the sun. To go along with that, it is apparent that there has been very little editing done. For instance, techniques such as straight cut, fade, or dissolve are not used (here or anywhere in the film.) Also, means such as cross cutting or matching shots are not employed. These stylistic features of the scene are consistent throughout the film, and are overarching qualities in Italian Neorealist
Harry Stradling was the cinematographer for “My Fair Lady”. The movie uses different lighting techniques to make things look more natural outside on the streets and at the horse race. They also use a multitude of fairly basic shots, because there's nothing to complex going on that involves crazy angle shots. An example of a bad shot was when the bartenders and common folk through Alfie and his friend on the street. The shot was to far way and so the angry wasn't really shown. An example of a good shot is when Pickering, Eliza, and Mr. Higgins sang the song “The Rain in Spain”. It got all of their exciting emotion with different angles of them dancing and singing.